The Loosening of the Devil's Red Pact

Amazed that what looked like was their certain winner was disallowed. We were certainly due some luck against them.

The international break did affect Rodrigeuz but he was good enough. Richarlison, on the other hand, was a spent force, now getting the rest he needs. Mina cannot defend on the turn.

If Pickford continues this form, he will leave Brands et al no choice but to source a top-quality keeper. One good season cannot mask his erratic decision-making.

Despite this season's welcome improvement, the highlights showed them overrunning us, their attacks fast-moving and laden with red shirts whilst ours ponderous with isolated blues.

We have a long way to go to get anywhere near but at least we had a bit of luck today – not that it alters my pre-match views amidst the bizarre optimism about beating the wretches – I'll believe it when I see it.

I thought we battled very well and had a few good moments. Gomes needs to sharpen up, he seemed half-a-yard off the pace today. Mina had better watch his back too as there will be huge competition soon for that spot. The rest of the lads did relatively well and it is a good point on the board.

Godfrey deserves a mention coming on at right-back, he put a good performance for the team in very testing circumstances.

Onwards and upwards.

Virgil van Dijk injury: Liverpool star tears ACL on Pickford challenge, could miss 7-8 months, per report

The best defender in the werrrrld had already left his mark on 2 of our players and we all know getting injured is part and parcel of the game.

Clumsy from Pickford, yes, but not malicious. He's not clever enough to injure someone on purpose and, while 2 wrongs never make a right, we all remember their lovely song about Seamus.

Get well soon, Virg. I'm pretty sure you won't be furloughed while you're not working.

I can take being outplayed by them but I can take the usual inferiority complex our first XI can compete with them, so I thought.

The Richarlison ban will show just how stupid it was not to replace Kean. Talk about being light up front, are we really relying on Ellis Simms or Anthony Gordon up there now???

Happy with the result and some aspects of the performance. But truth is we got outta jail yet could (should?) have won this.

We're further behind than I hoped we were. Good team spirit though.

Players like that should have no place in the game, but Liverpool have had a succession of them.

Richarlison is, to quote ‘not that kind of player' (for all the defence of Son when he injured Gomes) and Pickford apparently doesn't possess enough brain cells to knowingly injure Van Dijk, according to most.

I still remember Gerrard on Naismith and Kuyt on Neville. Forever the victims them lot. They only won the league last time by Man City having an injury crisis that lasted a year and they didn't so much as have a cold all year.

That was the asthma drugs, Kris.

Every sympathy for Van Dijk from a medical point of view... but from a Karmatic point of view??

We all know VAR is a total joke and the stupid rule changes and interpretations that have come along with it... and is doing everything its supporters said it would not do. But this season we've benefited. Referee Oliver though... is there a decent ref in the whole Premier League?

Tim Cahill said... Old Everton would've folded – but this is 'New Everton'!

A week off to get the jet lag out of the systems and for Ancelotti to sort out a formation without Pike... erm sorry 'Stupid Boy' Richarlison.

This may involve a Christmas Tree type shape with Calvert-Lewin at the top of the tree for the next 2 away games... I refuse to look any further forward.

Coleman was slow on the first goal. The game was too fast for Gomes, making him totally unsuitable. Allan was under pressure as a result. Gomes will be suitable in other games.

Mina is not suitable either. He is okay when the play is in front of him, but against pace and defending on the turn (running back to goal), he is weak. Keane was good today and Godfrey was better than Mina. I did think that Rodriguez and Richarlison suffered from the long flights back, but Rodrigeuz was still very influential. Richarlison was dangerous at times, but was off the pace. His tackle ended a chance of Everton to go on and win.

Iowbi was okay, but could have been better. Calvert-Lewin is getting better and will improve further. Digne is back to his best. Sigurdsson was better than Gomes, but went missing at times as per usual. Pickford on balance had a good game. I did not think the tackle on Van Dijk was a foul or intentional.

How many matches in your life have you seen a bad call called out as bad on re-runs but they must have theirs vindicated and the result changed. Bloody amazing arrogance.

They've had the best run o& god fortune of any club in the world, over the last 60 years.

Hand on heart for me, VAR and Covid-19, is slowly killing the game of football.

And very poor referees.

Apparently, Klopp wants both the Pickford - Van Dijk incident and the late offside to be reviewed. But if he claims that the first decision was wrong, then logically the second one cannot be reviewed.

This is because if the first one were reviewed to a red card for Pickford, the course of the game after that incident would have been totally different, and the contested late offside would in all likelihood never have occured, it being a very particular incident.

Some people, Klopp included, need to sort their shit out logically. The guy is an idiot.

Gomes is something of a mystery of late. Since his comeback from that awful injury he looks a shadow of the player he was. I'm wondering if his problems are all physical, or if he is carrying psychological wounds that are proving harder to heal.

However he wasn't alone in the poor distribution department today. Several players looked off the pace, particularly in the first half.

Still, the fact is that they were playing very well and we were below par, yet they still couldn't beat us. That has to bode well for the upcoming games. Our confidence and belief in ourselves has no limits. We can and will improve.

Pickford had two awful moments, but neither counted. In between, he played well. Can't ignore those two errors though, lucky neither cost us. So, his erratic form continues. No idea if he'll pull out of this or not.

Richarlison badly effected by South American jaunt, off it all day, stupid challenge summed it up. A chance for Iwobi or Bernard to show Carlo something anyway. Out of our starting 11 Gomes looks most vulnerable to getting displaced. Sluggish today, defensively a liability and too easily bypassed, though in fairness they are not regular opponents. I'd consider trying Sigurdsson, or even Davies, next time out. Though Godfrey did well playing out of position. Kenny is unlucky to be crocked whilst Seamus is also injured.

I feel sorry for Van Dijk, totally reckless by Jordan. Thiago could easily have been badly injured also.

Shit happens, in life every day and football. Today the Gods of Fortitude, were on our side.

The moaning cunts, the RS, really, are in terms of charisma, many are lacking.

Everton, on the back of Villa, have shown the RS, are not great, and can be beaten.

At the critical times today, in context we had and didn't take good chances.

That's the difference, EFC, must make up.

But what a Day, onwards Evertonians!

The injury is a freak. It's Pickford's thigh against Van Dijk's knee. His weight bends the knee due to the angle of Van Dijk's leg. You couldn't cause an ACL if you tried.

Having looked at it again, I would say if there was never a question about the offside, they would have maybe given a penalty but nothing more. Certainly wouldn't have given a red card.

Once it's offside, it can only be a question of violent conduct. And I don't think it was.

What was most evident today was we could match up with skill, determination, and grit.

What the RS displayed we don't have yet; a several years, pressure-hardened, well-oiled machine.

We'll be a much better team by February.

Can we review Van Dyk's first two challenges?

Robertson on Allan?

Media setting the agenda. Fk em.

Sure we all wish him well in his long recover and look forward to the day when he eventually returns to action.

As for the offside, I love the contorted logic that is was 'technically'n outside but shouldn't have been given. The way they have reacted to the game shows they are still the bitter, entitled arseholes they ever were.

For us, we didn't pay well but we competed and never gave up. We'd have lost that game by 3 or 4 goals last season, but this side has belief.

Next week will be a very stern test against Southampton - Hasenhutl has them playing very similar to Liverpool. Richarlison will be a big miss. Can Bernard step up, or will Carlo prefer Iwobi?

Godfrey looks like a very useful player to have in the squad, he grew in confidence as the game went on. The mazy run that he went on, I felt he should have taken the shot himself instead of passing it to DCL whose shot was weak and easily saved by their keeper.

First half we gave the ball away far to easily but second half it improved and we looked a much better side. Richarlisons stupid challenge almost cost us yesterday but missing him for 3 games could prove much more costly.

How we perform in the next two or three games becomes the next test. So far we have come through and look a different animal to previous seasons. Dissapointment from are players in not getting the win and points is a sign of the strides forward we have made.

A last word on the nerve of the redshite in complaining to the Premier League over var decisions, WOW.

Our mental fortitude has been our weakness for as long as I can remember and whilst we didn't turn up properly first half the red side played very well that half.

Our mental fortitude (Pickford aside) has been lost with the controversy and will get us more points than simply good players and performances.

The good thing is we can play much better and won't face many sides who have w player as good as Mane, that new block in the middle and finishing like Salah. COYB.

Footy has long been a games of winning individual battles, Liverpool do it in groups nowadays as do others. Of course our best players received attention but this time our efforts counted too, which helped bring about the draw. Fake protests are part of the game Klopp plays - we didn't win, we are the best so it can't have been our fault. Make your team unchallengeable in their own heads.

One point in six, conceding goals, they are wobbling.

Remember we have had one window and eight games of development. How many games did Klopp need?

Yet we equalised, went in level and looked the better side for spells of the second half. Mina should have dealt with the ball better, but it was a lovely finish from Salah. And then we conjoured a wonderful second equaliser.

They'll be wondering what they have to do to beat us. We can do so much better, but next time, we have to be ready from the off.

I was heartened by our cussedness, our nastiness and our ability to go toe to toe with them. Over a season, that will mean more to me than the odd sparkling performance.

Let them whinge, let the media whinge on their behalf. Let's keep doing our thing, because even on an off-day, its working.

We were not at our best but I think that was a mixture of international jet lag, Liverpool forcing us onto the back foot for large parts of the game and also tactics from Carlo to not play out from the back and counter the Gegenpress. And I think we more than held our own.

Right result should have been 3-2 on the basis of the awful VAR decision at the end, but the fair result was 2-2 as we deserved a point from the game at least.

Their captains comments after the game seem to indicate just that. Of course nothing will be done about him questioning the integrity of VAR

It's obvious none of the officials did at the time, therefore if they retrospectively penalise Pickford, they must also punish the Liverpool players.

Who replaces Richarlison? I would be happy with any of Bernard, Iwobi or Gordon (someone has suggested on here that Gordon might have fallen out with Carlo, surely not?)

If the post-game VAR judgement differs from the in-game VAR judgement, that's a VAR-draw. Then what?

How many fecking judgements do you want?

It is extremely hard to stay focused, and keep being aggresive, without the ball; it requires a lot of heart and desire to do that, but the players had it.

We will never outplay a world class team with our current squad, just forget about that, but we can and should play, and this game has shown it.

Decisions came our way for once and that is also a plus, though I do think the ref let their midfield press us by pushing, grabbing, putting their foot in, without giving the fouls he gave the other way around (particularly near the box).

Good result and we can't win them all.

The game itself well I could think of many of our teams from the recent past who would have folded after their first and definitely after their second goal. But it seems this group is made of much sterner stuff. A few of our players played below the level they have been at, and I just wonder how much training Allan and Gomes have done in the past fortnight, same goes for Coleman who hadnt fully recovered from his hamstring problem. But what it does show is the determination of these players to want to play even though not fully fit. I think Keane is getting better and better, and is now becoming a real goal scoring threat from corners, Mina is still a worry but with Godfrey who did well when he came on and Holgate on the mend then things defensively looking much more assured. While discussing the defence I don't think there is a better left back in the league than Digne, his delivery is equal to any midwifes delivery. Just worth mentioning apart from his stupid challenge on VVD Pickford made 2 great saves, which just highlights what a good shot stopper he is, its when he has time to think that he makes mistakes. James again showed his brilliant range of passes and DCL now is looking like the real deal up front. His goal was almost Alex Young like, a terrific leap and the ability to hang in the air all reminiscent of the great man himself.

So after 5 games still top of the league and although not at our best the result will have enhanced the confidence in the squad.

We played well in the context of being up against the best team in Europe, arguably the world right now. When you play these teams, you are going to get exposed and spend prolonged periods under pressure. In the main, we coped well with their incredibly strong starting line up, particularly the front players. That said, I'm surprised not many picked up on the jammy shit of a pass to Robertson for the first goal. It was so meant for Mane in a more central position the player sliced it and it drifted wide to fall nicely for Robertson!!

With more focus on us at the moment, the rest of the country is seeing more of the Pickford we see most weeks. A great shot stopper (most of the time), but erratic decision making and prone to at least one rush of blood moment per game. Dreadful tackle and I wouldn't complain if he receives a retrospective ban.

We showed character to come back twice and we got the decisions. Too often in the past in this fixture, we've been on the wrong end of some equally awful decisions. A fair result in my opinion and one of the more competitive Derbies in recent years, although let's be honest, based on recent servings, our bench mark was to actually turn up this time.

Last one, I make that now 3 or 4 near carbon copy goals for Dominic. You would suspect that pretty soon, teams will cotton on to the cross from the left and Dominic rising like a gazelle. The beauty now though, is we have more than one player for other teams to worry about.

How about they complain about the 50 years shit decisions we have had in these games, we would be here all night.

Jordan is a liability. Shame as there is a great showstopper in him but his command of the box and decisions making is erratic at best.

I thought Gomes was awful, and Doucoure and Allan way below par, that was our engine room stuttering and not firing on any cylinders. Still it shows that although we didn't get the ideal result we may have just turned the corner.

Historically we would have collapsed, but somehow with a combination of some decent play and a good slice of luck, something that seems to have deserted us for as long as I care to remember, we managed to salvage a draw.

I am getting very bored with the constant press carping about any minor error by Pickford but discounting his superb saves, wonderful distribution, but I expect that kind of crap from the press and BBC. I find it rather less acceptable from Everton supporters who seem to be out to find fault with anything Pickford does and willing to follow the Sky6 worshipping halfwits. Are they really trying to make Pickford less confident, because that will be the only effect.

The goalkeeper who makes no mistakes is the one sitting on the bench. Luckily Ancelotti and Southgate seem to have a better understanding of how the sport actually works than those who expect no goalkeeper ever to let the ball go past him.

There are damn few people here who would rather wish Pickford well through his struggles and get behind him instead of ripping him.

I said this during the ToffeeWeb reader blastathons of Stones, Barkley and DCL: If I were a young player I would think long and hard about coming here, and then most likely not - unless the money was just too good.

Let me put it another way. If I was a young player and I knew it would take time to come good, and the only consideration I had was the fanbase, I would not come here.

He's a great shot stopper as he proved yesterday by keeping us in the game like you say. But his tendency to have a rush of blood moment in most games will eventually cost us if it isn't already. To that end, he is a liability. Fortunately this season we are going to score goals (e.g. Brighton) to compensate. But that won't always be the case and especially against the better teams. Yesterday, let's be honest, a loose thread on Van Dijk's shoulder prevented a penalty, red card and subsequent likelihood of being 2-0 early doors.

It's not a lack of support or criticism. When he's on the pitch wearing the shirt I support him and want him to do well. It's just an honest assessment of his abilities. We all have them on most players.

It's a consideration moving forward. Should this go the way I'm sure we are hoping it will go, we probably need to consider a better keeper that hopefully our then position will attract.

I've used them before as an example. Yesterday's opponents put up with "good" keepers as they prioritised the forward machine they now have. The final piece in Klopp's jigsaw was to eventually replace good with excellent. I think we'll do the same unless Jordan can iron out those flaws in his game. Which I hope he does by the way. I like being proven wrong if it benefits Everton.

We're disappointed we didn't break the hoodoo, but the reality was, after the humiliation at Villa, Klopp was gonna have his charges fired up.

We had little to no preparation before the game, James, Mina and Richarlison had long haul flights after a busy international week and were technically playing at 8 am considering jet lag.

Digne picked up a knock, Allan and Homes had just returned from injury with little training, and we lost our captain.

Liverpool's Mane and Salah had no international football, neither Thiago so no surprises they came flying out the blocks.

In other generations, it would have been 3-0 before half time. But not this Everton team. We dug in, got the equaliser and could have won it at 1-1.

Calvert-Lewin continues his excellent form, Digne shows he's one of the best in his position, James is the best passer of the ball in the league too.

Yesterday showed we can compete.

Let's not forget that this is a very powerful Liverpool team, and they were desperate for a win yesterday, and often the top clubs will respond to a heavy defeat with a similarly heavy win. We didn't let them, and got a bit of luck.

Let them be the one's fuming for once.

Now to 2 winnable but not easy away games before our next home game at another 'big team'. I just think we could be the culprit for another Man Utd manager getting his P45.

The outrage because it's Liverpool is incredible, but football won't benefit, this once again is all about Want-It-Both-Ways FC.

They don't mind dishing it out, and how many times have they got away with it in the past? Like Corporal Jones famously said "They don't like it up'em".

Nobody likes to see any player ruled out for a lengthy period of time but I seriously do not think that Jordan had any other intention but to get the ball and prevent a possible goal-scoring opportunity. When played back it does look worse than I believe it was.

Get Well soon, Bert! Think about Mary Poppins and her charges.

His save from Matip was world class, he also made a very good save from Arnold, but goalkeeping to me is about a hell of a lot more than this, and the other side of Jordan's game has been below standard for a long time now.

Southall became a much better keeper after a spell on the sidelines, so I'm not giving up on Jordan Pickford, I just think he needs to improve in a few areas, and don't think I'm being critical by saying so.

His instinctive reflex save stuff is up there with some of the best but it's the other aspects of goalkeeping that he needs to work on. I'm not being overly harsh, it just depends where we want Everton to be.

I don't think a spell on the sidelines does him any harm. If anything, it gives him time to reflect and get hungry again.

Unfortunately lots of scrutiny on him at the moment, so the trick will be how to manage that without destroying his confidence. Although to be fair, that seems pretty shot right now. But I guess we have a manager who knows how to handle these situations.

Pickford seems to panic. He is highly capable to making high class saves, and he has shown this. He is capable of excellent saves, and he is capable of excellent long-range distribution.

But he is far too susceptible to panicking under pressure, he charges out of position, balls slip from his grasp, he lets balls slip under him. This is the basic stuff. He is capable of the sublime, but equally capable of the inept. In a European Championship year, he is clearly going to be under more scrutiny beyond just Everton fans. Every mistake will be on the back pages, will be discussed on all the podcasts and will be subject of discussion on MotD, 5Live and beyond.

How can he respond? Our hope is that he gets through this spell and comes out stronger. If Pickford gets back to doing the basics right, then he would be amongst the best in the league. But he is currently a liability.

Hopefully they have a plan in Finch Farm.

At 1-0 down, he makes a terrible decision to rush out and 'tackle' Van Dijk. But for a millimetre decision going our way, he gives away a penalty and gets sent off. So 2-0 down, 10 men, 80 mins to play. I dread to think what the score may have been.

Yes, he made one great save and another good one, but that is what a goalkeeper is supposed to do!

Then, in injury time, he lets a very soft shot, more of a pass, squirm through his hands to gift them a win. But we are saved by another millimetre decision.

He spreads panic in our box every time the ball comes in. He seems hyperactive to me, when we need a calm influence to inspire confidence for our defence. If this was his first such mess up then yes we could move on – but it's the just another in a line of many. For me, no way does he play in our next game.

The issue of Pickford's quality is not of his ability to pull off magnificent saves, all Premier League keepers can do that, but of his ability to read a game and to think his way through a game. Like Tim Howard, he has the ability to produce miraculous saves, but also like Howard he panics and acts impetuously far too frequently.

His mistakes cost Everton and England goals, think Origi. Yesterday he was lucky, his mistakes went unpunished, but he is a time-bomb and does not inspire confidence in supporters or more importantly his fellow defenders.

Kuyt, Carragher, Gerrard have all escaped punishment for equally heinous crimes and, from the point of view of karma, it was just to get away with their last minute goal.

Next week is another game and we want three more points. I wish Van Dijk well and hope he returns sooner rather than later and I hope and pray that Pickford learns to control his impetuosity, and thus add to his ability to stop shots.

He made his name making great saves in a team that was always going to be under pressure but would always concede and that wouldn't be the goalkeepers fault.

Thats fine at Sunderland, but when you want to win things, you need a more complete package. Jordan didn't even need to come for that yesterday and would have been more effective staying in the goal. Likewise for England in the week, he rushed out and got in the way of the defender, which led to a penalty. Not entirely his fault but erratic rush of blood decision making indirectly contributed.

I like Jordan and to reiterate, for where I thought we where going into the season, hes good enough. As Tim Howard was at the time. However if we want to progress as I want to and many think we can, we might need to consider upgrading, unless he can sort out those obvious gaps that will currently prevent him from being a top keeper. I genuinely hope he does.

Casper Schmeichel would have us top 4 this season.

What if Van Dijk had received a yellow for each of his poor challenges on Rodriguez and Calvert-Lewin? He wouldn't have been on the field and Pickford wouldn't have come up against him.

What if Robertson had been sent off for violent conduct for his lunge on Allan? What if Mane had received a second yellow for swiping at Mina off the ball? What if we'd have got a penalty when Richi's shirt was pulled inside the box when his header hit the post?

Pickford didn't give away a penalty and get sent off. He did make three excellent saves.

Dealing in facts makes sense to me; dealing with what could have happened is just fantasy football.

He can play in a team that can challenge for top 6. Can he play in a team that wants to challenge for the title? Its a next summer and beyond question, but worth looking at now.

On one hand, he should've got a red card and nearly cost us the game with his poor attempt to keep out Henderson's shot.

On the other, he made brilliant saves from Trent and Matip and a very good save from Salah which kept us in the game. He needs to get his erraticness out of his game. Anyone knows whether he will get banned or not?

There but for the grace of a ridiculous VAR decision goes a goalkeeper who has been played the mother of all get-out-of-jail cards.

He may have made a couple of outstanding saves, but this erratic behaviour cannot go on.

Amusing to see somebody who has hammered Calvert-Lewin for four years calling Pickford's critics "idiots". Especially as one has done everything in his power to get us to the top and the other continues to be the only threat to the status.

We all know he is dangerous at corners and free-kicks, and it seemed he was being marked by Digne in the passage of play before the ball came in.

So who should have picked him up? So Pickford could argue he had to go for him.

Schmeichel is a formerly outstanding keeper who now commits howlers worse than anything Pickford has ever done. Try these three within two weeks this past July:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtLba7cOWrQ at 6:15 and 7:55.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaryve-ewdM at 12:00.

He's 33 now and his last three seasons have looked a lot like that. Sorry, if you think that guy will walk down the Mersey and lead us to a title... no way in hell.

I've said it before, if we're gonna replace Pickford, we need somebody better than Pickford.

I've no doubt Ancelotti's got his plan.

When it comes to “commanding the penalty area” this is first and foremost the job of defenders, who should ideally prevent the opposition from getting into a position where they can shoot. The goal is big enough that even the best keeper in history should be beaten regularly by a team getting enough shots in, it is simply impossible for a goalkeeper to cover the entire area. This is definitely a third level requirement, no unimportant, but far less essential and should be done by a player who can operate inside or outside the penalty area.

In the modern, Ancelotti - Klopp game, distribution is very important as the defence-to-attack switch is probably the most important single tactic, and a goalkeeper who can give long effective passes is worth his weight in gold.

As for “judgment”, a goalkeeper who has to make a choice as to whether to rush out and try to play the ball (and I don't mean make himself available for a pass back from a defender under pressure) has already been let down by his defence and the outcome is probably more in the hands (or at the feet or head) of the attacker than under the goalkeeper's and control.

When football was much slower – say the 90s or earlier – and defenders were usually under little pressure once they'd got the ball, decisions could be made almost at leisure but the speed of the game is such that there is little chance for anything but a fast reaction.

If I had the choice between a goalkeeper who “commanded the penalty area” and one who stopped shots, I know who I'd go for. And Marshal Zhukov would not be my first choice for Everton.

Surely we have all seen him let too many of those go in, followed by his usual childish tantrums of hitting the ground, kicking the post and sucking on his water bottle.

As an ex central defender myself, you need the goalkeeper to command the box. The keeper can see everything as they are the last man. There is nothing behind them. They are the 2nd captain as I said earlier. It is so important that the keeper barks out the orders. Look at the original Schmeichel. Total command of his box and his defence. And made great saves too, but that's why you're a keeper in the first instance as Jordan is.

It wasn't very good, but then no defender hacked the ball away either, and thanks to the miracle that is 2020 VAR the goal was correctly ruled out for offside.

Neither of the RS goals was stoppable once the defence had capitulated and failed to get in the way of the attackers – they were both very well placed and well taken – no goalkeeper in history could have stopped either.

However, at least Pickford made three outstanding saves, while his predecessor, the Startled Starfish in his last few seasons, would simply have waved his arms and sat down before the shot went off. Neville Southall regularly ‘went walkabout' in the penalty area and let in goals as a result.

The fact that Pickford failed to stop a shot of no relevance to the match is part of the contingency of football.

His decision to come out against Van Dijk was rash. The ball was going away from goal, the player was stretching for the ball, every angle was against Van Dijk.

It reminded me of his decision to come and then retreat for Newcastle's equalizing goal. Same area of the pitch, all the angles against the player. Like I've said, a pattern of behaviour. You might go further, if he must come out, look at why he when with his legs rather than his hands?

He needs taken out of the firing line and a chance to redeem himself. I don't particularly think Olsen will make the saves Pickford can make. However, the delta between his highs and lows is much smaller. A steady keeper will tighten us up, make a defense less panicked about an erratic presence, just a calmer player.

Pickford ultimately needs a club were they are more often under the pump. His focus comes from being over employed, in the game constantly, a lower mid table side would suit him perfectly.

We will buy a new keeper in the summer, or perhaps if we are contending come December are we ruthless enough to prize a keeper away from another club?

As for all the pundits crying foul of Pickford, none of these pundits stuck up for Gomes when Son took matters into his own hands against Gomes with a genuine shithouse challenge.

As for me, I couldn't care less... Fuck Van Dijk, fuck Liverpool. It was a 50:50 ball Pickford went in too hard and fast, let's move on. There was no intent. As they said with Son, these things happen in football.

I was an exceptionally bad footballer, so my opinion is certainly not based on my own experience.

I can see why the defence would like someone assertive in goal, but if I were a manager I think I'd rather have a Tony Adams, Brian Labone, Jack Charlton, Franz Beckenbauer running the show than a Schmeichel, Southall, Gordon Banks, David Seaman, Yashin or Buffon. Not one of the second lot would pass as sane (well, maybe Banks).

Goalkeeping is about being the last-ditch defence, in a perfect game a goalkeeper would never do anything apart from take goal kicks and make the occasional pass to another player. Essentially, a goalkeeper is not a footballer except in a very attenuated sense (directing a wall is dependent entirely on the goalkeepers understanding of where the free-kick taker can put the ball and where the goalie can reach with his hands, it's not a footballing skill in anything like the same sense as shooting, dribbling, tackling or even moving off the ball.

A team with a commanding centre-half will do a lot better than a team with a commanding goalkeeper.

I'll stick with Pickford for now.

His best game by far was for the USA at the World Cup, but I thought him one of the poorest goalkeepers since the Southall era.

If they could, Pickford would be being blamed for Covid-19, Brexit, Allisons back injury, etc etc.

It was a collision in a fast-paced gamed. Unlike Son, there was no intent, it was an accident and as we were told after the Son / Coleman incidents, the players concerned are not dirty – it's not in their make up.

Same applies to Pickford. An idiot at times, yes, but dirty never. Injuries occur in football matches. The fact that LFC do not have another centre-back in the same class as Van Dijk is not EFCs fault or Pickfords. We have 2 centre-backs out injured with Holgate our best being out since before the start of the season. We have just got on with it. Possibly because we are used to it.

I now expect as with Niasse's supposed dive at Palace, that retrospective action will be taken against Pickford. They will attempt to hound him out of football.

Get ready for the death threats, Jordan. They will be coming your way, if they haven't started already. No longer the clown to be laughed at but an assassin to be despised and harangued for a long, long time.

Easily the best keeper we've had post Southall. Only Martyn comes close and direct comparisons there are tricky given that they weren't different stages in their careers. The cleans sheets he amassed speak for themselves.

Here's hoping Jordan can succeed.

Warnock: "I never ever went on the pitch with the thought of deliberately injuring an opponent" – ie Jordan did. This is ridiculous TRIAL BY MEDIA. EFC need to come out and make a statement about this asap. Guilty of Nothing Always the Victims.

I have noticed how quiet players from other Prem teams have been over this. Its only the pundits and the RS who are making out the second coming has been denied the human race.

If you have a Beckenbauer, then the goalkeeper can be as introverted as you like!

On their first tie with Real Madrid away, Carlo expressed his dismay at Gullit sleeping like a baby, while he could hardly sleep. Gullit said, "Don't worry, Carlo, we're the better team.

And despite Madrid being gifted a penalty (as per usual), they drew the away game and won the home match, with Marco van Basten scoring, hence winning the tie.

Gullit had enjoyed the game, thinking it to be a high quality one. Something most of us would disagree with, as too many players were awol. He did think Pickford deserved a red card, despite the off-side. Something we were quite lucky with. It really was reckless on Pickford's part.

Shame we couldn't win, too many players weren't at their best. At the end, we were lucky to see their goal disallowed.

On Wednesday, Ajax play a certain team in the Champions League, don't be surprised to see Davy Klaassen feature. Yes, you read it correctly. Ajax bought him off Werder Bremen for €11M. His price seems to be going down, after the €27M we paid for himm, and the €13M Werder paid for him.

It was a 50:50 challenge he got it completely wrong but these things happen.

When Gomes had his ankle inverted 90 degrees by Son in a deliberate off the ball challenge everyone leapt top Son's defence which I was incredulous about at the time. But because it's now one of "their" players the narrative is now different. The red pundits/media are fuelling almost retaliatory action against Pickford which is simply shocking.

It's open season now on Pickford we need to rally around him and get behind him. I just hope if he's out and about he has eyes in the back of his head we all know what they are like just ask Juventus.

Ratcliffe and Mountfield / Watson had Neville. Liverpool put the final piece in the puzzle with Allison.

We could go on all night, but in my humble opinion, if you are going to challenge at the highest level like those players you mention, you need the appropriate standard all over the pitch. No passengers.

Some us remember the vicious tackle from Jimmy Headcase that ended Geoff Nulty's career in the eighties!

If you're regarding Howard as the worst keeper post-Southall, you need to give your head a wobble. Like others on here, I've been going to Goodison since the fifties and the only keepers I regard as better than Howard that I have seen are Southall, West and Martyn.

The fact that Howard carried on beyond his sell-by date is not his fault and shouldn't detract from his performances when he was at his best. He was picked to play and did so, never giving less than his best.

It was a reckless challenge, Liverpool will whine and then next week it'll be forgotten and someone else will be the villain.

I'm just enjoying this season we don't need to seek out reasons to play the victim or be unhappy. We are Number One.

If Van Dijk had not gone in flailing his legs like Bambi on crack, he would probably just have gone over. Given the player involved, I suspect it was far more likely Van Dijk was trying to injure Pickford than vice versa.

Basically, tough. The Redshite have got away with (literal) murder for years, and are part of the Swamp that is European football. Any misfortune is to be enjoyed.

Son didn't invert Gomes's ankle, and it wasn't off the ball. Son deliberately chopped Gomes as he was dribbling.

Gomes slid into Aurier's leg, and it was THAT contact that actually broke his leg.

If the RS and their media arse-lickers want to cruficy Pickford, I hope the rest of football will see them for what they are – cry-baby hypocrites who are outraged by everything and ashamed of nothing.

I ask myself at 0-0, in the first 5 minutes of an important game why is my keeper trying to get involved with a high risk, low reward play? It's completely unnecessary? That's all about judgement which is the first and best quality of a goalkeeper. If he stays tight to his near post, Van Dijk – a great player but no Van Basten – gives him a low percentage shot to save, he probably won't get even the ball on target and/or with good purchase.

Let's say even if miraculously he scores with a thunder-bastard of a shot, Jordan stays on the pitch and can influence the game positively. I'd say 99/100 that play leads to a penalty and a red card. I'm not happy with a player in a key position who misjudges a situation that badly on a persistent basis.

If they do that, we should all send Robertson's leg-breaking attempt on Allan to the FA so they can apply their rules without bias... Haha!

The one thing I will say in his favour, is that once he had committed himself to the block / challenge, or whatever you want to call it, he had to continue with it, as to try and pull out or go in half hearted, could have resulted in serious injury for himself.

For anyone who's played the game, you are always told to go into a tackle / challenge full-blooded, or risk serious injury going in half-hearted. I still can't fathom out what he was trying to do, nor, I suspect does Pickford himself.

I wonder how many of their players have committed fouls that didn't receive the necessary punishment, or how many offside decisions were ruled in their favour in error. In football as in life, you win some, or lose some.

Real shame for Van Dijk, probably best defender around, and he's out for the season cos of Brainless.

It won't improve relations between the two clubs one little bit, at lease it wasn't deliberate. What we don't want is a cloud of recrimination to descend on our season when everyone has been in such good spirits.

Send him a card and a balloon will ya.

You mean recrimination against our brainless crass error after crass error making keeper?

The key for me is he limits his mistakes, every player will make them and then, when called upon at the big moments or in games where he might not be so busy, he keeps the ball out the net. He did it at Spurs which played a big part in us taking the points.

He may not be the best but he is not a poor keeper imo and he hates being beaten and works hard and deserves our support. If the defenders manage to become miserly, that will be a better time to judge.

So let's see what happens but RS should not be allowed to manipulate the league.

On a side note, how about those Hammers. 3-0 down with 8 minutes left. Moyes spinning his magic???

Coming out vertically so to speak he made his profile thin and low percentage. Going with his studs gives you zero room for error too.

He led with legs I suspect because he had to leap into the challenge, which tells me he couldn't get there and adds further questions about his judgement. Because every he had to leap, and was now out of control clearly demonstrates it wasn't a 50:50 challenge.

I could almost defend him if he went down with his hands and spread himself horizontally, a much bigger body shape and far more control with his hands, increasing his percentage and lowering Van Dijk's. He could of then slide into the tackle and control his momentum and increase the chances of Van Dijk colliding with him. He'd get the foul for sure.

His actions are of a player who is trying too hard to make an impact when not necessary.

I hope everyone knows that the biased will bring that Van Dijk tackle, injury up at every opportunity they get and let's hope it is quite often because that will probably mean losses and draws for them.

Fuck them all, what goes around comes around, it really is amazing how hypocritical the pundits and red shite fans are.

If he hasn't already, Calamity will be receiving death threats.

It wouldn't surprise me if this knocked Covid and Brexit off the news headlines tomorrow. Our self-entitled, knuckle-dragging neighbours may have their very own “Je suis Vincent” rally, complete with accompanying limp. Arseholes.

Na it doesn't matter...

https://talksport.com/football/459663/liverpool-virgil-van-dijk-napoli-dries-mertens-david-seaman/

Back to Pickford; Who cares what the RS say? I'm far more concerned with his errors that lead to goals than I am about a mistimed challenge against RS.

But seriously...

Pickford has been a bundle of nerves for some time. His tackle on Van Dijk was really no great surprise nor his failure to stop Henderson's shot.

The problem going forward is that, on top of his already erratic goalkeeping, he is now faced with the wrath of the mob for the Van Dijk incident. Lucky for him that there are no crowds.

We now have four inadequate keepers. Some very poor and costly decision-making there.

I think Carlo could be affected by it. It's certainly possible. He likes to be liked. If Klopp gives Everton both barrels for the next two months, it could become problematic. Not for the fans, but for morale at Finch Farm.

Let's face it, we could well have ended their season this weekend. He is their most important player. They are going to be spitting after this.

Of course, you can say 'Who cares?' but, if you're Carlo, he won't want to be pulled into this sort of thing. Fact is, it was so unnecessary.

Last season, Gomes was injured in a similar fashion and he has yet to regain his pre-injury form. Football is important, but let's not lose our perspective.

Link

Carlo thought it was a red:
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/ancelotti-van-dijk-deserved-red-for-mertens-tackle/ayfs7upnx77ezivfnnyl9tk1

Van Dijk claimed innocence:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2810424-virgil-van-dijk-defends-tackle-on-dries-mertens-after-carlo-ancelotti-comments

I tend to agree with you despite my comment. However, it is the attitude and red-tinted viewpoint of the media and our rather obnoxious neighbours that lessens my own empathy.

Pickford did not go in for the kill. It was clumsy. But this will be played with the usual sickening “outraged by everything, ashamed of nothing” stance of the RS.

Doesn't say much for the great champions if their season depends on one player.

Link

Delighted for Godfrey, who looks a player. Delighted for Calvert-Lewin who simply couldn't be a better role model for our young lads. Lots more to come from this team.

Carlo Ancelotti has managed and played with some of the most brutal players who have played the game. If there's one person in the game who will not give a fuck about Klopp's bleatings, it is him.

I've spent a lot of today amusing myself by trawling RS websites (it's one of my guilty pleasures when they are up in arms). Some are even suggesting Carlo put Pickford up to that challenge. Many of them hate him.

The more they hate him, the more I like him.

On Pickford, delighted he made some saves and didn't throw one in but we know historically the next game will see him return to strange person status.

The thing that struck me most re the match was Klopp saying he'd never seen his team play better away in his five years in charge.

We were ordinary, but they couldn't beat us.

'Nuff said.

Alex Ferguson held Rooney back several times for visits to Goodison until he could get a grip of himself. Why not eh?

Gomes didn't get anything like the sympathy regarding the dangerous and intentional play by Son. He got his red card rescinded. Within a month, he got a red card for a similar challenge.

In this case, the tackle is neither a foul or intentional. Van Dijk just got caught in a challenge and there is little chance such a challenge will happen this season.

The man occasionally tried to play the ball rather than the man and was very proud about being a ‘hard man'. All of a sudden he is hammering a player who made a bad challenge rather than a deliberate attempt to hurt someone which I am not sure Souness can say about many of his challenges/assaults.

I agree Pickford's foul was not good and would not wish injury even on Van Dijk but the media needs to move on.

For us as blues, like him or not, we need to be uniting behind Pickford.

If Pickford gets a retrospective ban because Oliver says he never saw the incident properly, then Everton have got to step forward and ask him why he never went to the pitch-side monitor then.

Then we must contest a retrospective little sly kick from Mane, because this was impossible for the ref to see because he had his back to the incident.

I was fuming yesterday over the VAR decision that cost Liverpool the game. Honestly I don't give a fuck about our neighbours, if the boot was on the other foot, they'd take it all day, but I care about football, and I care about one rule for one, but another rule for others.

Evertonians have had the answers for the outraged Liverpudlians all weekend, so if the media want to push things and get involved, I hope “our club” gives them the answers they deserve.

These things happen in football, it wasn't nice, it never is, but it's not the first time a player has had a serious injury on a football pitch, and it definitely won't be the last time either.

The outrage is bigger because Van Dijk, is obviously a big loss, but it wasn't premeditated, or doesn't that matter in football anymore?

I am more worried what will the boss do over the next 3 games without Richarlison? This is worrying as we do not have a replacement now that Kean has gone to PSG and Theo to Southampton. I cannot see Bernard or Iwobi even remotely filling this void.

What about Simms? I also cannot believe we did not replace Kean after he left. Also, Richarlson will miss the game against Man Utd. This is not good news.

The RS can moan and moan. Very short memories they have, very selective memories.

The Sky Sports Circus, will never change, and Yozzer and his ex RS cronies, spew their tripe and again have selective recall.

Time for Evertonians to stick tight and transcend the bull shit negative press the club is facing.

Not one mention on the media, of the cheating that Mane does every match, and the tackles that he, and Robertson, done yesterday.

Next game up and EFC, is at last showing character and guts.

Both traits will be needed at Soton, and through out this season.

We have got to stand up and fight, the red media leaves us no option, otherwise our team will be on the end of loads of bad decisions, at a time when the stars seem to be aligning.

Can't they accept players get injured all the time playing football? Or that sometimes you are robbed of a decision? I distance myself as much as possible from them because I don't want to be associated in any way. They are the Donald Trump of Football – a successful, global brand but with no class, massively arrogant and completely lacking humility.

I am boring, I know, (I'm fuckin getting ready by mimicking the outraged) but Michael Oliver has given some really soft penalties this season, so he definitely showed his true colours yesterday imo, when he never spotted this obvious infringement, because he's been sharper than a dagger all season.

Forget the rough and tumble of yesterday , those injuries could happen in any particular derby. We've seen it all over the years, it's a byproduct of the rivalry. Sometimes it's a matter of luck to come out unscathed in these fierce games.

I think we are starting to see the annoyance and the subconscious acceptance showing its head that Everton are back. Not just because we have had a good start but because there is an underlying strength to this upturn. Everton are no longer here to lie down or make up the numbers, they'll have to get used to it.

He soon fucked up when Carragher gave his take on the incident. He said that he didn't believe Calamity set out to injure Van Dijk and he was clumsy - these things happen in football he said and, when Souness tried to speak again, Carragher told him to wise up basically, calling him out for his many attempts to deliberately injure opponents.

As I said earlier, we can expect this to go on and on!

I'm gradually starting to enjoy the bleating.

Pandering is an apt word. Players get injuries, which can be serious. It is one of the joys of football. Everton are dealing with it all the time.

The fact is that Liverpool's chances of retaining titles this season are slim. They drew and could've got beaten by Everton. They did give it their best and are now worried.

Their supporters in the media and their bleeding heart pandering is going to go on all season. Getting hammered by Aston Villa has put the wind up them, because they know they are exposed as far as the lower half of the table is concerned.

Christ Almighty, the RS will have a hotline to The Samaritans next.
“Just step away from the ledge for a minute, mate. I've got a priority call coming through from a Liverpool fan in Peterborough. Back in a few minutes.”

Gobshites.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_five_live

Was it only last season that Liverpool's centre-half challenged our Dom and forcefully used both hands to push him over as he took his shot, which flew wide. The ref awarded a goal kick.

I feel that a rotten rule, VAR, saved us from defeat yesterday but they did not deserve the win they sought. COYB.

Van Dijk might be a great player, but he plays centre-half for a reason, because he's not a centre-forward, and therefore less likely to score against you.

It's all becoming beyond ridiculous – too useful as a distraction as well, in the wider picture.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wtgpJw6A-_g
FTRS.

As you live in the city, I suggest you refer all complainants to the Jimmy Case tackle on Geoff Nulty.

It's funny, but I didn't hear any RS caller say Robertson should have walked for his lunge on Allan, the sly trip by mane on Mina, or the fact that Van Dijk done Rodriguez twice in the first few minutes. Now that was intent, their aim early doors was to try and put James out the game.

I remember being on a table with him and Grobelaar at a sports dinner one time and my mate (a kopite) asked if he could borrow my pen to get their autographs and I said "You're joking, he'll drop it and he'll stand on it".

Grobelaar laughed but Souness gave me an icy stare. We bumped into each other a few times after that because we were both chasing girls who used to work in an employment agency on Bold Street and he was always an arrogant sour-faced prick.

Just listen to that woman, she was unbelievable. She said she'd been going to these matches for years. No mention of all the bad fouls against us.
However, not to worry – today's Big 6 is not what the media had expected. COYB

Yep. ,"Amazing how often people will flag them selves up."

Yep. ,Turned off,michael.kenrick@gmail.com,0,23:00:57,,82.12.209.149,ok,19936,10/18/2020 23:00:57,,reader,,,no 1104038,40056,toffeeweb,18/10/2020,Peter Roberts,polo_pete5@yahoo.co.uk,Tony #172

What's going to be even more galling for them is that Klippety and Carlo were laughing off the absurdity of the VAR decision together at the end.

The guy is absolute class.,Tony #172

What's going to be even more galling for them is that Klippety and Carlo were laughing off the absurdity of the VAR decision together at the end.

The guy is absolute class.,,,1,23:01:48,,90.198.122.14,ok,1488,10/18/2020 23:01:48,,reader,,,no 1104039,40058,toffeeweb,18/10/2020,Brent Stephens,,Just watched motd Spurs v WHU. They showed the game and goals. Spent a minute replaying and discussing the WHU comeback. Then longer fawning over Harry Kane. That wasn't the story. The story was the comeback. Sheesh. ,Just watched motd Spurs v WHU. They showed the game and goals. Spent a minute replaying and discussing the WHU comeback. Then longer fawning over Harry Kane. That WASNT the story. The story was the comeback. Sheesh. ,,michael.kenrick@gmail.com,1,23:03:45,,213.205.241.231,ok,,10/18/2020 23:03:45,,reader,,,no 1104040,40056,toffeeweb,18/10/2020,Will Mabon,stevesunbury@gmx.co.uk,"Thing is, we've heard more sobbing and whining in 24 hours than I've heard from our fans my whole life, and that includes having Europe taken away from us in the 80s. A lot of it is being hyped to the clouds by the media with callers, pundits etc but the RS fans are certainly giving them the raw material.

Like I said earlier, it's becoming satisfying... we can just stay classy and march on...

Although we were maybe fortunate to draw on balance, and I think VAR should replace Mina at the back – much more reliable – what pleased me was that for once, we created a pile of chances. Compare Saturday to that other draw we had a while back when Dom managed to win a penalty, just about our only threat on goal and even then it was a soft penalty. We were basically awful in that game, almost embarrassing.

Not this time though. We gave very nearly as good as we got, on another day may even have won and that was not us having a stellar day, in fact a load of players – Allan, Doucoure and Richie – were some way below their normal level, while Gomes was shocking. Sad that, because when he joined, he looked like the only class player in the side. Now he looks slow and his passing is lousy. Is it not time to try Bernard in that position? At least he has a bit more energy.

I hope we don't just stick Iwobi in instead of Richie. Unless Gordon is rubbish in training, what I've seen in matches suggests he will bring a lot more vigour and pace than Iwobi ever could. The only silver lining is that Richarlison looks like he needed a rest and now he'll get one.

Fuck that football club. Hate them with every ounce of my soul.

As for Van Dijk so what? A player injured in a 50:50 – not the first, won't be the last.

Pickford is many things – a brain-dead fucking goon maybe... a malicious calculated hitman? You're having a laugh.

I'm raising a glass to Liverpool... oh my aching sides... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

If there's one thing I associate with the dark side, but not us, is hypocrisy, but this thread has my blood boiling. Pickford is a disaster looming: we've only played a handful of games and he hasn't had much to do, but how many howlers has he made already?

As for flying into Van Dijk knee-high with both feet, why didn't he jump on the ball, like goalies do? Or, if he couldn't reach it, retreat back into position? It was a stupid and cowardly act which was unnecessary.

We all thought the fans made him nervous... well, what's his excuse now? And midweek for England? The truth is, he may make good saves, which he trains for all week, but his lack of common-sense and his erratic character tell me he isn't good enough for the Everton that Carlo is creating.

I for one hope he gets a retrospective ban, as it may give him time to reflect and maybe visit a psychiatrist, and I'm sure Olsen can't be any worse.

As for that stupid comment from Charles about Southall going walkabout!!! FFS, we would have won the double if he hadn't got injured – the greatest goalkeeper I've ever seen!!!

Would leave some of those so called 'comedies' and those masquerading as Comedians, a reality check and a run for their ill-gotten money. Mind you, I am a tad biased in that direction. :-)

Souness can be summed up by the fact he sold his heart attack exclusive to The Sun in the midst of the investigation into Hillsborough. Complete classless ass clown.

The only good thing he ever did was ending Rangers' embargo on Catholics but even that, he probably didn't do to be good, he probably did it just to piss off the UVF Rangers contingent as he is a contrary 'see you next Tuesday'.

I'm not bothered if Pickford gets banned as Robin Olsen sounds like a DC / Marvel superhero crossover between Jimmy Olsen and Robin from Batman. Physically and in terms of career, he may look like Lössl 2.0 but his name suggests something much better.

We would also be wise to bring Jack Wilshere in as cover for Rodriguez.

My gut tells me we can finish 1st this season if we focus and keep our heads down.

All his effort of turning us into a Second Division club is now futile.

I bet the RS Board must've paid him a King's ransom for the sabotage he did to our club.

He is a crook and will always be one even in the afterlife.

From my personal experience with his group at the time, I would say they were incompetent and naive rather than saboteurs. They certainly put more money into the club than the self-styled biggest Evertonian ever (who made a fortune from the club – unlike Johnson et al).

But then I see you recommend bringing Jack Wilshire in as cover, so assume you're on the wind-up.

Whilst I admit his performances leave a lot to be desired, I don't want him banned because of a game against the red shite.

Nor would I consider the challenge on Van Dijk cowardly.

On a positive note, I thought Godfrey did well. Also, Klopp commented that he knew we were about to score the second when Luca's ball was in the air and he heard the Everton bench shout, 'That's it!." Now that's confidence in your player.

Gonna miss Richarliosn running at defenses for a few matches. Hope Gordon gets the nod and shows what he can do.

The only difference with the RS is they don't condemn their own players, like you have.

Not many of us are happy with the errors Pickford makes but his collision with Van Dijk earned us a point.

Mina is a worry, he doesn't seem to be quite good enough at the highest level.

Seriously, you want a retrospective ban for what happened to one of them?

Seriously, one of our own players?

With regards to our Number 1, he is a liability and is brainless but he is not an assassin! He lost the run of himself in the International game during the week and he did the same on Saturday.

Playing poorly and getting results is a good sign and long may it continue. We have three upgrades from last season and the boy from Norwich may well be a fourth.

Expecting 3 points next weekend at Southampton.

On a lighter note, Clattenburg has just admitted he should've sent Dirk Kuyt off... one down, 2 to go. Next up: an apology from Clive Thomas.

I remember Bolasie just walking off the pitch, and I thought he will be out for a couple of weeks, then a couple of days later the club made a statement saying he had damaged his ACL and he was indeed out for the season. Most ACL injuries take many months after surgery to repair itself, so I would be amazed if Van Dijk played again this season.

The game carries on, so the replacement for Richarlison while he is out, is very simple to me: to replace his energy and work rate, you pick someone with the same aggression, Nkounkou should fit the bill, playing up and down the field with Digne. and he might just score one goal in those three games to equal Richarlison's goal tally in the league this season.

Pickford may get a retrospective ban for recklessness. But that's a slippery slope once we decide that keepers aren't allowed to jump.

All in all, maybe the PL can just tell them where to go.

I beg to differ.

Peter sabotage us down to our drawers.

If it wasn't for David Moyes impressive managerial skills, we would be down in thw basement of English football by now instead of running with the big dogs.

His evil plans failed and somehow out of the miracle of God we were saved.

Jordan Pickford could not be sent off. All the brainless pundits who clearly don't know the rules missed the whole point of the VAR check. VAR had to focus on the offside. The offside was key.

If it was not offside and was therefore onside, then Jordan walks. It's a red. No question.

If it was offside, and it clearly was, then he cannot be sent off unless he intentionally endangered Van Dijk.

The same pundits who said he should be sent off, said he should be sent off for a rash challenge or being reckless. Rash and reckless both mean there's no intent, it's not deliberate. Therefore, he cannot be sent off.

The offside was crucial and there was clearly no deliberate intent to injure Van Dijk. It could not be red. But Jordan was a very lucky man and needs to learn a lesson fast, as he showcased his best (3/4 great saves) and his worst (the rash challenge, the poor effort with the disallowed goal and a couple of flaps). I think he's trying too hard now and needs to calm down. A few clean sheets in quiet games would be the tonic, but this is a crazy season.

Christine, I believe that you are correct in your appraisal of the incident, and I know that I am leaving myself open to the 'Snowflake' remarks, when I say that I observe more malice directed toward Pickford himself, from some on this site. Without wishing to give the impression of blowing my own trumpet, I regard myself as being a fair minded person.

It's open season on Pickford and EFC just read the papers.

In the last Derby the red scum were singing "Coleman Coleman how's your leg,"

So I suggest we rehearse our own rendition of YNWA "You'll never walk again"

C.O.Y. B. top of the league still. Who would have thunk it.

Indeed it does.

"So I suggest we rehearse our own rendition of YNWA 'You'll never walk again'."

That's not a good look.,"The whining continues today."

Indeed it does.

"So I suggest we rehearse our own rendition of YNWA 'You'll never walk again'."

That's not a good look.,,,1,12:29:33,,2.120.43.163,ok,10701,10/19/2020 12:29:33,,reader,,,no 1104144,40056,toffeeweb,19/10/2020,Brent Stephens,,"Dave #240, Steve #250. My sentiments as well.

I've always found the RS to be a disrespectful club to other teams. This weekend they put their strongest side out for once. We dealt with it. Great test of character for us and the usual display of petulance from them.

So fuck them.

Just lovin' it.

The FA determined the incident was seen at the time having consulted with the match officials, including VAR.

The Liverpool defender suffered cruciate ligament damage when he was caught by Pickford in the first half.

The injury is likely to keep him out for at least six months and potentially the rest of the season.

The FA does have the power to intervene even if a decision is seen, but this is only used in exceptionally rare circumstances.

Evidently, these circumstances do not apply on this occasion.

Regarding the RS fans, let them whinge and whine as much as they like. They've been doing it for decades and so long as they don't turn to their main hobby of throwing missiles / pushing walls down then we can simply nod and smile back at them.

For once, we can even sympathise because it makes no difference at all. It was an accident, it was offside and we're top of the league.

So, Elaine in Peterborough, tough titties, love.

ps: As suggested on this thread, it would be nice to get a short video clip of Van Dijk's early fouls before his injury.

Pickford misjudged it big time. No doubt.

It was a 50:50 challenge that went wrong.

Arguably Richarlison's was worse.

Let's be honest here, how many dodgy tackles have us Evertonians watched and endured from those shisters over the years that have gone unpunished?

A quick Google of Van Dijk's fouls shows how he's also no angel – far from it.

Comedy gold!

Love watching their fat heads explode as a few things go against them for a change. Welcome to our world, you horrible cheating arsonists.

I hope Pickford can shield his young family from this intense media spotlight, and I worry that he lacks the skills to cope properly, going off how erratic his form has been under intense criticism.

1. SERIOUS FOUL PLAY

a) A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.

b) Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.

VIOLENT CONDUCT

a) Violent conduct is when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a team-mate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made.

b) In addition, a player who, when not challenging for the ball, deliberately strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or arm, is guilty of violent conduct unless the force used was negligible.

Clearly violence conduct does not apply. So it's serious foul play or nothing. It's part b that the RS would argue. But this needs intent on Pickford's part. It was not deliberate. Therefore, not serious foul play.

As I said, if it was ONSIDE, then it's a different story and he's off.

Van Dijk's fouls on James and D C-L were deliberate so I have no sympathy for him, whatsoever. The RS teleclappers would have been cheering to the rooftops if he'd have succeeded in knobbling James. At least Pickfords challenge was rash and ill timed rather than with the intention of causing injury.

The fact that it was offside means only that a penalty couldn't be given. Anyway

Red Fan Threatens to Get Even With JP For His 'Mate' Virgil

Scroll down about half way to read it.

What a beaut! He's even mocked by his own supporters.

But to request any of our players receive a retrospective ban for an ill-timed challenge on one of them?

Sorry mate no no no. never.

Doesn't Look THAT Bad, Does It?

Hands up all those who have seen this image in all the damning media reports, rather than an alternative showing Jordan in the worst possible light?

The speed of a camera shutter and the angle a photo is taken from can change the discussion, or at least offer greater balance to the debate.

Mainstream media is not doing that.

They need to pack it in, there is no way on gods earth there would be such a tsunami of media vitriol if it was one of our players taken out by a rash challenge.

If they keep up this 24/7 condemnation the hatred and threat of violence is going to escalate into someone getting hurt.

The regulator or whoever it is needs to tell them to call time on it.

Pickford is known for mixing with his old school pals I just hope he watches his back when out and the club are preparing some extra security for him.

He's already had threats against him and his family.

I wish I had the inside story of why the media are so against Jordan, because it can't be purely down to his abilities or lack of them, there seems to have been an agenda in place against him, almost from the moment he joined Everton.

We all understand that the mainstream media will defend the clubs that generate the greatest number of viewers, listeners, readers, and we expect them to continue to give those clubs a positive narrative wherever and whenever it is possible, even if they have to twist the facts in order for them to do so, but I personally find it impossible to understand the 'witch-hunt' against Jordan even in some cases from our own supporters.

If there is somebody at the club who is better than Jordan, Carlo will choose him, there isn't, so Jordan is Everton's number one until we buy somebody better, from that perspective Jordan deserves our support for the good of the team and the club.

I'm hoping and I'm sure that Carlo will use this unseemly episode to create a siege mentality within his squad, and hopefully, the team including Jordan will show the media that we have a team on the rise and one that is ready to compete.

Thank you for that post.

There's a lot of chatter about Pickford. It's all overblown for me. The kid did exactly what a keeper should do, in theory. He came out strong to protect his goal. What occurred afterwards was unfortunate, but an accident. There was zero intent. Happy shout-outs that VVD is injured I'm not a fan of. But that veers into a different conversation that I'm not going to bother with.

What I'm seriously reconsidering, and I never, ever thought I'd do this, is VAR in the EPL. Its application is being butchered on a weekly basis, and it's sucking the spontaneous celebrations full of emotion out of the game.

CHEER! Wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait. WTF? Anyone home? DECISION - cue pissed or happy.

It's getting to be a serious buzz kill.

And the decisions are just getting more and more surreal as time marches on.

That Hendo goal yesterday was a goal. I do not know how anyone can look at that play and say it was offside. Frankly, I don't know how anyone can look at that REPLAY and say it was offside.

I was thrilled with the point. Why? Because that was daylight robbery. You can say on the whole a point is a fair result, but I'm sorry it wasn't. A perfectly good goal was disallowed and we benefited. I'll take it, but it's daylight robbery and we all should be thanking the soccer gods for our fortune. Fortune that is long, long overdue against those folks, and that's the only way I can justify it.

And now, a good Catholic confession. All the VAR haters on TW I would, prior to yesterday, kind of blow off their anti-VAR arguements. Most of them, from my reading and knowing a thing or two about those posters, are older. I would think to myself, after reading about how VAR is ruining the game, it's just the stereotypical old man complaining about how things are changing. Age and stubbornness are the real enemy, I'd tell myself, they just can't cope with change. This is an age problem, not problem with VAR.

I'm washing that dirty thought from my mind. It's not healthy and not accurate.

Listen to your elders, they know a thing or two. And I'm beginning to think VAR should be ousted from English soccer. After this weekend I think the statement that it's "ruining the game" has a lot more credibility than it did Friday evening.

Fuck 'em, I'll take the point. But something has to change in footy and the overall picture with the application of VAR. It's sucking the life out of what makes soccer so, so beautiful.

When I was a kid I saw a clip of an English soccer game. I've no idea who was playing and it doesn't matter. Someone scored a goal, and the crowd went out-of-their-minds crazy. I mean absolutely nuts. I remember thinking it was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen, and I said to myself that someday I'd "follow" soccer. If you take that celebration and fan moment away and sterilize soccer, it's lost it's shine. It would be awful.

Something has to be done about VAR. I can say now after this weekend, it's ruining the game.

Be thankful for the point, but let's look at the bigger picture.

Barcode Fans Pay-Per-View Protest Raises £20k For Food Banks

Well done them. Here's hoping this catches on with other clubs and supporters.

The officials DID do their job properly, according to the rules of the game.

Pickford's ability is a separate issue.

Hendersons face after the goal was disallowed was the funniest thing I've seen since the hysterical reaction from the main stand at Mordor, When Holgate shoved one of them over the wall.

If it had been any team (never mind players) other than Man U or the RS it wouldnt have been brought up repeatedly on every available channel and website.

I totally agree with you about the 10 year thing as if we had lost every game. It gets under my skin that they can slant the reporting like this. Hopefully we will put that right at the cauldron of hate.

As regards Mane I heard that VAR has a more complete picture of the offside and you are absolutely correct Mane was coming from an offside position which according to the rules is "Offside".

As always the media will present their picture and interpretation of events to suit.

That same opponent had twice DELIBERATELY tried to injure our star player. With some refs he could easily have been carded twice would mean red and he wouldn't even have been on the field.

I also think Van D had serious knee problems before the tackle. From all appearances he appeared to have been hit in the shin area. I never wish ill on any player but he certainly isn't the only player to incur injury. Pickford himself could easily have been injured in what was a collision.

That same opponent had twice DELIBERATELY tried to injure our star player. With some refs he could easily have been carded twice would mean red and he wouldn't even have been on the field.

I also think Van D had serious knee problems before the tackle. From all appearances he appeared to have been hit in the shin area. I never wish ill on any player but he certainly isn't the only player to incur injury. Pickford himself could easily have been injured in what was a collision.

He could have caused the biggest ever defeat, but in fact he didn't in the same way he hasn't cost us a single point this year.

What do they say? If my aunty had bollocks she'd be my uncle.

Good on them - but utter shame that this is necessary. "Developed" country, 2020, hungry people. On the back of years of allowing, and encouraging, the charity of people to increasingly take on the inherent job of the system, whilst carving off the increasing taxes taken. Obscene.

I'm not convinced about Pickford but some of the criticism borders on the hysterical.
I mean one fan on here even went as far as wanting one of our own players suspended.
What I did see actually happen on Saturday were two good saves and one exceptional one that certainly assisted in us getting a point rather than hypothetical assumptions on what could have happened.

Coinidence. I hope not.

You not really tuned in to sarcasm I guess.

Good argument you make about the national team manager and one of the most successful club managers of all time not dropping him*

*sarcasm alert

It's the media that stirring all this up.Glad that sense has prevailed and no retrospect action is to be taken.Why would it be no foul was committed and nothing was intentional By Pickford?

By the way what is wrong with having a Mad Goalkeeper when Everton are top of the League.It might be a good thing to have such a Goalkeeper.

I can't agree that Pickford has been erratic for over a year. I think Pickford has always been erratic.

Do you not remember he clattered into Williams in his first season with us. He has always been erratic in my opinion, but as a matter of fact, outside the howler at the end when he let in Henderson's shot, he had a good game.

The clash with Van Dijk was typical of the way Jordan plays, just throws his body in the way. Unfortunately, this time it was extremely rash and clumsy.

They have left us behind in the rush to emulate the worst supporters outside of, well, anywhere. The level of hysteria, abuse, vindictiveness and threats to family are unprecedented, or maybe I have chosen not to believe how bad it was getting, but their hatred and entitlement appears to know no bounds.

As a city and as a club, we have stood with them in times of injustice, ashamed of nothing, as long as their vindictive righteousness prevails. It's not just supporters, its the club too, we have seen power grabs, etc... it's like Snowy once said to a dole officer in Boys from the Black Stuff, "I wouldn't be you" and while we have our own fringe, theirs is a mainstream.

The city and the clubs generally always worked together, not united, but with respect. There is no respect now, the stadium issue highlights it: fear, abuse, that we are getting one over them, a world class stadium, iconic on the very banks of the Mersey, The Liver building as our home, the liver birds lit up in blue... they even tried to burn it down, incredible.

I wish it were just the odd fruit cake in their midst, but it's not. The mainstream media fan the flames of entitlement whilst sanity and honesty go out the windows.

VAR is not the villain, introduced to eliminate poor on-field decision-making, it's only introduced technology that is interpreted by an off-field referee with another flawed level of subjectiveness. It's made the game poorer, not better. Bad decisions are still being made, on or off the field. Entitlement is now the name of the game.

Both of them used to dive on the concrete road and a couple of times hurt themselves on the bricks we used as goalposts. But carried on, and we always thought they were not right in the head to do it.

They have a live text commentary of the Merseyside derby.

12.33.09
“Virgil has just left his mark on Rodriguez 😄”

12.34.33 is the time logged for the Pickford challenge.

That wiped the sneers off their faces, the sight of Billy Big Bollocks limping off and out for 6 months.

Say what you like about not wanting any players getting injured.

Or call it karma.

(Now to disinfect my phone).

A lot of outfield players describe goalkeepers as being mad. Pickford got to be England No 1 and Everton No 1 being as he is. Today, I was talking to two neutral football watchers and they both described Pickford as not being quite right in the head.

On balance, Pickford will save a lot of goals that most goalkeepers would never save, more than he will make howlers. His record of previous seasons at Everton is based on one of the worse defenses in the Premier League and a walk through midfield.

The defence is a hell of a lot better as is the midfield and if Pickford can keep making those impossible type saves, more than making howlers, he will be valuable to Everton in any League challenge. I have no doubt that he will be working to minimise the howlers and, because of the way he is, he will pull off some incredible saves.

I think Everton should embrace his madness, because that what makes him what he is. Because it is more acceptable to save the standard attacking play, and not save the greater attacking play, but to actually achieve something it takes more of the opposite of this. Statistically the outcome will be more successful.

This is what Pickford is capable off and it could just make the difference the season as Everton challenge in the League. If to be a goalkeeper is to be mad, it is better to have the madest goalkeeper there is and the extraordinary ability that goes with it.

My advice is to ignore the media stereotyping, which has reached its height and is so wrong on Pickford's challenge. Of course there will he analysis of Pickford's weaknesses but, if Everton continue to challenge, it is irrelevant.

So, when he makes the block, he does so with more gusto than required and then momentum carries him through, even after the whistle blows. The players' reaction at the time is a good indicator of how they viewed it, and there wasn't really much of one at all. That's how Oliver likely saw it in real-time too, because he didn't dish out a red for violent conduct.

Then, because the move was offside anyway, it is judged to be out of play and therefore can't be a foul. That's fortunate for us because, at any other time, it's at least a yellow card or very likely serious foul play and a red. I'm not condoning the challenge btw, that's not the point I'm trying to make, but there are far worse challenges made week-in & week-out, including Richarlison's challenge later in the same match, for which he was rightly punished with a straight red, but of which there is barely a mention.

If you really want to see a "disgusting" challenge, I might point you to the blantant two-footed assault on Naismith by the RS demi-god Gerrard – at least Pickford attempts to play the ball! I wait with bated breath to see if the FA makes history again for Liverpool by overturning a referee's decision for the very first time ever (we were, after all, the first club to have a player receive a retrospective ban for diving).

At the final whistle on Saturday, I'll admit to being a little disappointed at our performance. I felt that the School of Science pass-and-move philosophy so present in our opening performances was shown only in only small glimpses vs Liverpool. We also appeared a little leggy and less self-assured, possibly because of the physical demands of international duty, or maybe because the burden of expectation is already weighing them down. Who knows?

However, having had the last couple of days to mull it over, I think I may have paid Ancelloti's men a disservice. Liverpool played out of themselves yesterday; spurred on no doubt by a hurtful defeat against Aston Villa and maybe some extra helpings of Klopp's "special" performance-enhancing cocktails.

Liverpool players drink Klopp's secret "isotonic potion" after every match.

Whatever it was, they came absolutely flying out of the stocks and gave, according to Klopp himself, their finest ever away performance. And yet, albeit by quite literally a hair's breadth, they didn't manage to beat us. Playing their best team's best football, we held them to a point. That we relied on a bit of fortune might also be the sign of something special happening; in the 25 years of supporting Everton, it's the one thing I've never until now known us to possess.

Of course, the offside rule, by its definition, has to be drawn somewhere, and in a game the FA are trying to make less subjective and more objective, that line, fortunately for us, showed that Liverpool was offside.

And whilst it wasn't the prettiest display we've seen from the Blues this season, what it did demonstrate is that we can grind out a point against top opposition when 1) we're not at our best; 2) we lost a key player to injury early on when Coleman limped off, and 3) we fought back after twice going behind. That said, with news that Van Dijk is now out for the season, the pressure is really set to intensify and next week at Southampton will be a real test of our players' metal.

If the lynch mobs can spare a pitchfork, they should perhaps head to Anfield to investigate the apparent poor air quality there. After all, there can't be any other explanation for a massive 22 players out of their squad of 35 all requiring treatment for asthma, can there? That's 63% of their squad compared to a national average of 12%, or over five times higher than the UK average, all requiring medication to improve their lung capacity:

Why Liverpool won't win the Premier League this season

You can't be serious.

1. When Niasse was done for retrospect diving, no-one was charged with it after that because the rule was changed. All divers at big Club took a collective sigh of relieve.

2. The penalty resulting from imo diverted handball in Everton's last game resulted in a rule change regarding hand-ball in the box.

3. There is now a concerted campaign to change the offside rule, because Liverpool had a goal disallowed because of offside under the present rules. I remember the time when to be level with a defender was offside. What do they want? An offside rule that allows a forward to be onside with a toe level with a defender?

Why do they not be honest and form a committee to disadvantage Everton by changeing the rules.

Clubs have to realize that they sometimes benefit from VAR decisions over a season and RS have had their share. A different ''overseer'' could easily have said it wasn't offside but this one wasn't and so it's over and done with.

Regarding the Van Dijk injury, I wouldn't wish it upon any athlete but RS will still be a force and besides they leaked in 3 against Leeds and 7 against Villa so the defence with Van Dijk was cracking up anyway.

I am very serious. Pickford's howlers can only result in a direct goal due to 5% of his play, most of the other howlers will result in breaking ball and possible indirect goals.

It is apparent that Everton defenders are coached to be aware and be first to this breaking ball in dangerous areas. Davies, Digne and Godfrey were first to the ball in dangerous areas in the last three games respectively.

Pickford does not have to be perfect. What he has to do is save a higher percentage of difficult saves. Some of these saves will result in breaking ball, which the defence is being coached to deal with anyway.

Because of the traditional deep defensive nature of Italian Football, this awareness of the need of defending players to be individually prepared for the breaking ball in dangerous areas is bread-and-butter coaching to Ancelotti.

I don't think Ancelotti is unduly worried by Pickford's erratic performances. He knows that he has the ability to save a higher percentage of difficult shots and an aware or well-coached defensive play can reduce the amount of goals from breaking balls.

Ancelotti often will not blame Pickford, but will say that the play around him could have been better. Have you not noticed this?This is not making excuses for Pickford, but Ancelotti identifying where the weakness actually are as far as the team's performance.

Pickford is an erratic unreliable keeper. Yes, he can make great saves but so does any Premier League keeper. I have said for fours years, Pickford does not command his box for high balls, He is erratic in his judgements, parries the ball back into play and danger, rather than holding the ball. He loses concentration, and too often kicks the ball out of play.

That being said, he is a very a good shot-stopper because he comes off his line fast to smother the potential shot. This was what he tried to do on Saturday, got the timing wrong. It happens.

As a matter of fact, I thought he had his best game in a while except for the howler for Henderson's shot. Either way, he will remain controversial because he is so unpredictable, a quality which should not be present in any top-class keeper.

Just saw your reply. I would be very disappointed with Carlo if he criticised Jordan in public. Good managers just don't do that, so that is no barometer of what Carlo thinks.

I'm sure if there was a better keeper around, Brands would have got him. It's better to have a really good 10 men in front of an average keeper, than vice-versa.

I think slowly, very slowly, the rest of the football world is cottoning on to what the Red Shite team and supporters really are.

Red Shite: you always get exactly what it says on the tin.

I'd argue his saves against Spurs and Liverpool gained us points. The one from Matip in particular was just a bit exceptional. I wouldn't back many to keep that out.

It feels like if we'd drawn against Spurs and lost against Liverpool but without the rollercoaster then people would be happier with the GK situation. And I kind of get that. It may well be that the noise around Pickford (and beyond the witch hunt, he creates a lot of that noise himself) becomes such a distraction that we have to do something about it for the benefit of the team, regardless of whether the actual goalkeeping contribution would suffer.

I know we've been on the receiving end of many bad challenges down the years but I think we should rise above it. Wanting their players injured isn't something that we should revel in. If their keeper did that to Keane, say, then we'd be rightly outraged. Fans taking pleasure in VVD's injury doesn't sit well with me. Let them sing their songs to Seamus about his leg-break, we should condone Pickford and rise above them.

As others have said, there is a definite bias though in portraying us as the nasty ones. The Robertson foul was even re-shown on the highlights, neither were VVD's first two fouls. There was an incident at Anfield last year where VVD took out DCL in what looked like a penalty. To this day, I haven't seen a replay of that challenge. Robertson elbowing Davies into the ground etc. It suits the narrative of portraying the RS as this flag-waving, YNWA-singing band of supporters watching their angelic players playing everyone off the park. Let's stop their arrogance by beating them for a change.

I think Pickford is a loose-cannon who will cost us points. The Anfield derby was the final straw for me. I still have nightmares about that blunder. His histrionics when we were 2-0 up away at Newcastle and he was taunting their fans shows his mindset. I'd like a keeper who just gets on with it and keeps his focus. One that organises and commands his area and stops palming it back across goal. I said at the start of the season that I thought Pickford and Mina were the weak links and I still think that is the case.

If Van Diijk doesnt suffer a serious injury then it doesnt become an issue. How does Pickford know that the injury was going to happen?

It was unfortunate that when contact is made Van Diijks leg is totally straight and stretched and thus a hard contact will cause an unnatural movement as there is no give in the knee joint.

We know Pickford is irrational and hyper, and this is a result of that, not a malicious intent to injure another player

If Van Diijk doesnt suffer a serious injury then it doesnt become an issue. How does Pickford know that the injury was going to happen?

It was unfortunate that when contact is made Van Diijks leg is totally straight and stretched and thus a hard contact will cause an unnatural movement as there is no give in the knee joint.

We know Pickford is irrational and hyper, and this is a result of that, not a malicious intent to injure another player

I see it has now gone off with another US owned cesspit of a club and is seeking to set up its own European league.

Given this development, the other clubs of the EPL and League should immediately expel both clubs from all competitions and from any television money associated. If necessary, they could come to an arrangement with the League for a couple of clubs to be promoted - I'm sure Bristol City and Reading (and Ipswitch / Hull and so on).

On the other hand, I suspect that the prospect of watching Krasnodar v Rennes and Bayern Munich v Rotivator Volgograd and Redshite crushing Liechtenstein Academicals will attract a much smaller worldwide audience than City v Arsenal, Spurs v Chelsea, Everton v Villa.

If we are nominating for the final word on this matter. I vote for your final word.

Klopp is discussing Van Dick getting over his injury,

"We are there for him, he knows that and we will wait for him like a good wife is waiting when her husband is in jail"

In Jail? not At Sea, At Work or even at War? WTF

I think what ever marbles he has left have slowly rolled away!

Sorry if that offends some on here but they've succeeded in dragging me down to their level.

Bill, agree 100%. Just think back three years when Seamus had his leg broken, and then bastards were singing that sick song about him. Well just switch the name Seamus Coleman for Virgil Van Dijk, and bobs your uncle!!

I agree regarding distribution and catching, or command of the area. But, in the last three games, there has been a marked improvement in Pickford's distribution and maintaining possession. As to catching and command of his area, this is a complex subject. It's caught up in catching and use of gloves.

I agree that a 'first to the ball' catch shows a goalkeeper to be in command of his area, but the use of gloves in the modern games is more orientated to punch and palm over. I would guess that the latter is based on percentage decisions, based on analysis of goalkeepers in games. Pickford is being coached to play this way.

For instance, I think it was the Brighton match, Pickford appeared to not catch the ball, but palmed it forward into a dangerous area, resulting in a goal. Tim Howard said Pickford should have palmed it over the bar. This is glove speak, not catch and command speak.

So in the modern game, command of the area is not viewed as being important because the analysis does not show it to be important percentage wise. It is now rare in games to see a goalkeeper catch a ball under pressure.

Pickford's problem in the above match was the direction he palmed the ball in. It could be that he instinctively wanted to catch the ball, but technically he is trained to palm it, and so was caught in two minds.

There is more to being a Premier League goalkeeper than meets the eye.